The present invention relates generally to a footwear sole and a method for forming the same. More particularly, the present invention relates to a textile-covered footwear sole and a method for forming a textile-covered footwear sole.
The literature is replete with descriptions of footwear and footwear soles. For example, U.S. Pat. No. 1,231,263 to Kelley describes a fleeced slipper sole having an outer member, which includes a stiffening layer inclosed between a pair of fabric or thin leather layers.
U.S. Pat. No. 1,795,305 to Jacob describes a slipper having a wearing sole stitched to a lining.
U.S. Pat. No. 3,800,445 to Greenblatt et al. describes a scuff slipper, which includes an outsole and an inner sole. A bead of the outsole is molded around the periphery of the inner sole to secure the inner sole to the outsole.
U.S. Pat. No. 3,930,275 to Bailin describes a method of fabricating a slipper. The slipper includes a sole having a substantially flat form and a die-cut boundary edge configuration generally corresponding to the shape of the human foot.
U.S. Pat. No. 4,295,238 to Clark describes a footwear article having a molded sole unit.
U.S. Pat. No. 4,571,851 to Yamada describes a disposable slipper formed of thick paper or corrugated cardboard.
U.S. Pat. No. 4,852,272 to Chilewich et al. describes a slipper sock construction. The slipper sock construction includes a knit sock, a flexible foam insert and a flexible sole. One surface of the foam insert is glued to the sole, and the other surface of the foam insert is glued to the outside surface of the knit sock. The foam insert, sole and knit sock are then sewn about the periphery of the foam insert and sole.
U.S. Pat. No. 4,858,337 to Barma describes a vulcanized rubber footwear product having an insole, a midsole affixed to the insole. An outer sole is secured to the midsole.
U.S. Pat. No. 4,899,412 to Ganon describes a slipper and a method of making a slipper. The slipper includes an outsole formed of a layer of terrycloth adhesively attached to a thin layer formed of a thin tissue-like material.
U.S. Pat. No. 5,033,144 to Ganon describes a slipper having an outsole pad formed of synthetic rubber.
U.S. Pat. Nos. 5,392,532 and 5,491,860 to Bray et al. describe a slipper having an insole attached to a peripheral outsole wall. The outsole is molded of a resilient material.
U.S. Pat. No. 5,515,566 to Ganon describe a moccasin construction having a sole liner and a sole.
U.S. Pat. No. 5,617,585 to Fons et al. describes a rubber soled slipper sock having a rubber sole liner.
U.S. Pat. No. 5,746,014 to Tanemoto describes a slipper having an upper sheet and a lower sheet adhered together to form a sole.
U.S. Pat. No. 5,983,527 to Strickland et al. describes a molded shoe assembly having an outer sole with a heat activatable adhesive coated on one surface and absorbed in the sole surface.
U.S. Pat. No. 5,992,054 to Rauch describes a shoe having an outsole, an insole and a sealing material injected between the outsole and the insole.
Finally, U.S. Pat. No. 6,035,555 to Pavelescu et al. describes a waterproof shoe having an outer layer and a monofilament netting sewn to the outer layer.
It is an object of the present invention to provide a footwear sole having improved wear resistance, improved slip resistance and/or improved traction. It is another object of the present invention to provide a footwear sole having an outer textile layer.
The above and other beneficial objects of the present invention are most effectively attained by providing a footwear sole and a method for forming a footwear sole as described and claimed herein. In one embodiment, the footwear sole is formed of a rubber-like material having a textile layer at least partially impregnated into an outside surface of the rubber-like outer sole. The outer surface of the textile layer defines the outer surface of the footwear sole.